As a small business, I have come to realize that in some ways, you are only as good as your tools. I use an arsenal of tools that help me to run my business as well as create better websites for my clients. Below are just a few of the services that I have come to rely on in my everyday business management. I encourage you to check them out and also let me know if there any any tools that you use everyday.

* Please note that I may earn an affiliate commission from any of the services marked with an asterisk. I only recommend services that I both use in my business and trust.

Website Security:

How Secure is My Password

Having a secure password might be the single most important thing you can do to protect your website, email and data. The standard recommendation is to have a password that includes upper and lowercase letters, numbers and special characters that is at least 8 characters long.

Website Platforms:

WordPress

There are lots of ways to put your website online, but WordPress is the platform that I most recommend to clients and friends who are looking for a platform that is widely supported, user-friendly, and that can grow as their business grows. What more is that WordPress is open-source and free. It is not only the most popular blogging platform but is also an awesome content management system for any type of website from informational to e-commerce.

Domain Registration:

Namecheap*

Namecheap is a no-nonsense, low-cost domain registration provider that I use for all of my websites.

Website Hosting:

WP Engine*

WP Engine provides ultra-secure, premium WordPress hosting. If you are looking for speed, scalability, fully managed WordPress hosting, this is by far the best choice for hosting your WordPress website.

MediaTemple(mt)*

Media Temple provides an easy-to-use hosting environment for both websites and email while having excellent support. This is also a great host for a WordPress website.

HostGator*

HostGator provides low-cost, no-frills hosting environment for all kinds of websites.

E-commerce:

BigCommerce*

For businesses looking to bring their products online, I recommend BigCommerce due to their quick set-up and easy-to-use admin area. Since this is a SasS platform, there is no need to worry about issues of security as it is monitored by BigCommerce for a low monthly subscription fee. This is a robust platform that is easily scalable and can be a great foundation for a store with a larger inventory that requires a lot of customization.

Shopify*

Shopify is another hosted e-commerce store service that has a great selection of well-designed themes that are easy to customize with your branding. If you are looking for an easy-to-use DIY solution for a small shop or you are a business just getting started in e-commerce this is another platform you may want to consider.

Website Visitor Tracking:

Google Analytics

This is by far the best tool available to measure the success of your online efforts. I use Google Analytics on every website that I work on, and I review visitor traffic to help my clients make the best decisions for their online marketing activities.

Email Marketing:

MailChimp*

MailChimp is the only email marketing service that I recommend. They are an easy-to-use email marketing management tool that integrates with many online technologies. Plus they are free for up to 12,000 emails a month (email 2000 subscribers up to six times).

Project Management:

Basecamp

I rely on Basecamp to keep my projects on track and organized so I can focus on doing great work.

Cloud File Backup and Sharing:

Dropbox*

Dropbox is another service that I recommend. The Free account gives you 2GB of online file storage making it a very affordable cloud back-up solution!

Accounting:

Outright

Cloud-based accounting solution that does my bookkeeping for me.

Harvest*

Cloud-based invoicing and billing solution.

Contact Management:

Capsule*

Cloud-based contact management tool that is well integrated and easy to use.

Website Design and Development:

B. Martin Studio

I would be happy to discuss your project with you, whether large or small, I specialize in customized website solutions for clients of all types. Send me an email if you would like to learn more about how I can help you.